Paper box



Dec, 17, 1935. c. L. QFLAFF 2,@24,795

PAPER Box Filed Dec. 1, 1954 5 Sheets-Sheet l 9 "al a ZQZQ NE c. L. CLAFF- PAPER Box Filed Dec. 1, 1934 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 C. L. CLAFF Dec. 17, 1935.

PAPER BOX Filed Dec. 1, l934 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Dec. 17, 1935 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to paper boxes and to a method of making the same.

Heretofore it has not been practical to produce rigid paper boxes of the non-folding type out of thin paper but, instead, such boxes have always been formed, as far as I am aware, of heavy stock in order to insure the required rigidi y.

It is an object of the present invention to form a box of the rigid type out of light weight stock, the Various parts of the blank being so assembled that even though the material may be very light, as for example .014, the resultant box will be stronger and will have greater rigidity than boxes of the same size made of heavier stock ranging from .032 to .038.

One of the primary objects of the invention is to produce the boxes from a continuous web of material which will beproperly printed, out, glued, reinforced and folded in proper sequence so that while the stock material is being fed into the machine, the completed boxes will be delivered therefrom ready for use.

A still further'object is to provide a well finished box formed from continuous Webs of material and having reinforced corners, the rigidity and strength of the box resulting not only from the reinforcing material used but also from the lamination of the web material and the employment of glue between the layers of material employed. 1

A further object is to provide boxes the ends of which are formed of four or more thicknesses of material in addition to the reinforcing material employed, there being only one thickness of this material having exposed raw edges on the outside of the box and as said material is quite thin, the raw edges referred to will be inconspicuous and, therefore, not objectionable.

Another object is to economically produce a box which can be printed on the outside and/or inside prior to the folding operation.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a box which can be produced with the same paper finish on the inside as well as on the outside.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention consists of certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts and in certain steps of the method hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of parts and in the disclosed method without departing from the spirit of the invention as claimed,

In the accompanying drawings the preferred forms of the invention have been shown.

In said drawings Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of a printed blank adapted to be folded to produce a finished box.

Figure 2 is a plan view showing the opposite side of the blank.

Figure 3 is an enlarged section on line 3-3 Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a plan View of the blank showing the positions of the parts following the first folding operation.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of one end portion of the blank showing the sides completely folded and one of the ends partly folded.

Figure 6 i an enlarged section on line 6-6 Figure 5.

Figure 7 is an enlarged section on line 1-1 Figure 5.

Figure 8 is a perspective view showing one end portion of the box completely folded.

Figure 9 is an enlarged section on line 9-9 Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a top plan view of one of the blanks used in the formation of a box from two different webs of board material.

Figure 11 is a plan view of the other blank used in the formation of said box.

Figure 1.2 is a plan view showing the two blanks assembled one upon the other, the end flaps of the smaller blank being in upstanding positions.

Figure 13 is an enlarged section on line l3-l3 Figure 12.

Figure 14 is a plan View of the blank following the folding of the side portions of the larger or main blank.

Figure 15 is a plan View showing the next step in the folding operation wherein the sides of the large or main blank are brought into upstanding positions with other end flaps astride the upstanding ends of the smaller or top blank.

Figure 16 is an enlarged section on line l6l6 Figure 15.

Figure 17 is a plan view on a reduced scale of the completed box.

Figure 18 is an enlarged section on line |8-l8 Figure 1'7.

Figure 19 is a vertical transverse section on an 5 enlarged scale through the completed box shown in Figure 17, a portion being broken away.

Figure 20 is a top plan view of another form of blank for use in the production of a box of a further modified construction.

underside of the blank.

Figure 22 is a plan view showing the blank following the initial folding operation.

pressure.

Figure 23 is a plan view of the blank after the next two folding operations have been com-,

pleted.

Figure 24 is a plan View of the blank showing the side walls and the end flaps folded to upstanding positions prior to the application of the end folds thereto.

Figure 25 is a plan view of the completed box.

Figure 26 is an elevation of one corner portion of the completed box.

Figure 27 is an enlarged section on linen-2'! Figure 25.

Figure 28 is an enlarged section on line 2828 Figure 25, portions being broken away.

It is to be understood that the present invention relates not only to boxes but to lids for use on boxes and it is to be understood that the term box hereinafter used both in the description and claims is to apply to either a box construction or a lid construction.

Inproducing a box such as shown in Figures 1 to 9 inclusive it is designed to employ a continuou web of material which can be what is known to the trade as patent coated board having one side finished in White or color upon which printed impressions can be made. If desired, however, the web canbe made of ordinary, light weight chip board to which is added a covering of paper combined with glue under In the structure illustrated in the figures referred to the material employed is coated board and no attempt has been made to illus- Hate the coating material combined therewith.

The web of which the blanks are to be formed in such as, to equal the overall width of each blank. This web is adapted to be printed at such points as to cause the printed matter to appear wherever desired upon either the outer or inner surfaces of; the finished box. The folds of the blank are so arranged that one side only of the blank will be visible both inside and outside of the finished box. Consequently printing of the blank need be on one side only.

In Figure 1 the blank used in the formation of one box has been shown. The edges I and 2 of the blank correspond with the side edges of the web from which the blank is formed and between these edges the web is reinforced by parallel strips of kraft tape3 and 4 extending longitudinally of the blank and located where the blank'is to be folded to form the sides of the; box. This kraft tape is applied to thatsurface of the blank opposite to the finished surface on; which the printed matter appears.

The blank comprises an outer main portion 5 and an inner or lining portion 6. Interposed bethe length of the blank and within the tape 3.

This side portion H is separated from the main portion 5' bya longitudinal crease I 3 likewise impressed in the tape 3. The distance between the edge I and the crease 9 is substantially equal to the distance between crease I9 and. crease I3 so that when the blank is folded as hereinafter explained the portion 5 will overlie and be substantially coextensive with the portion 5.

At the ends of the portion 6 are transverse end flaps I4 constituting stiffening means or cores of the end walls of the box. These flaps are separated from the portion 6 by transverse creases I5 which extend throughout the width of the blank andserve to divide the side'portion T from foldable side fiaps I6 and also to divide the side portion II from foldable side flaps IT. The length of each of these flaps I6 and I! from its crease I5 to the outer end of the fiap is sub stantially equal to twice the length of flap I4 from crease I5 to the end edge parallel with the crease. Each flap I6 and I1 is divided trans; versely by a crease I8 which substantially alines with the transverse free edge of the adjacentflap I ,4 and also divides an end flap I9 located at one end of the portion 5. Thus each end flap is foldable along its crease I8.

As before stated the outer or bottom surface of the blank can be provided with printed matter such as indicated generally at 20 in Figure 1, this matter being located on any selected portions of the blank so that it will appear wherever desiredon the exposed inner or outer surface of the box. If the blank is formed of patent coated board the printing will be impressed directly on the web of material. However if ordinary light weight chip board is used, a web of finishing pabe applied to one surface of the chip board under pressure and with aninterposed adhesive so that thisstrip of finishing paper will cover those portions of the blank which will be exposed outside of the box after the box has been completed.

It is to be understood that the blank is to be formed with slits dividing the end flaps from each other. Slits 22 extend into the ends of the blank in line with the crease 9 to divide the flaps I4; from the flaps I5. Additional slits 23 are extended into the ends of the blank in line with the creases I0 and E3 to divide the foldable end flaps I9 from the side flaps I6 and I1.

That surface of. the blankv opposite the one on which the printedmatter is dispiayed is adaptsive such as glue, it being unnecessary, however,

- to extend this gluecoating onto the under or core flaps M. Thegummed surface has been indicated by stippling as shown at 24. 7

As the web progresses through the forming ma chine it is printed on one side, the reinforcing tapes are applied, the ends of the blank are cut and slit to deiinea blank as shown in Figures 1 and 2 and a coating of adhesive is applied. Thereafter the entire blank is folded on the crease 8 so that the side portion 2' with the reinforcing tape thereon will be brought to a correct width of double thickness while the linin portion 6 wiil be brought down upon the main portion 5. The end flaps M will be kept free from adhering to the flaps I9 and after the blank has been folded as described so that the parts are brought to the positions shown in Figure 4 the end or core flaps M are bent upwardly to positions substantially perpendicular to the affixed portions 5 and 6.

The side portion M is next folded along the crease I2 and the two side portions are brought to positions substantially at right-angles to the portions 5 and 6 at which time the folded end flaps If and I1 are bent toward each other and placed astride the flaps It to which they are affixed under pressure. Following this positioning of the parts at each end of the box the end flaps I9 are pressed upwardly against the outer surfaces of the flaps l6 and I1 and then folded inwardly and downwardly along the creases l8 so as to adhere to the inner faces of the folded flaps l 6 and I! and concealing them. These several steps of the folding operation have been illustrated in Figures 4 to 8 inclusive. In all of these figures the finishing paper has been indicated at 2| where it thoroughly covers all of the outer surfaces of the box. It will be noted that when the folding of the box has been completed each end of the box will be composed of five thicknesses of chip board while each side and the bottom will be formed of two thicknesses. Where finishing paper is applied to one surface of the blank the thickness thereof will give increased weight and strength to the folds.

When the box is completed the only raw edges appearing on the outside thereof will be the side edges of the end flaps l9 and as these flaps are of very light thin material the edges will not be objectionably conspicuous It is to be understood of course that when the box is assembled by folding, all of the parts are subjected to pressure so that the resultant structure, even though formed of a very thin or light weight board, will be stronger and more rigid due to its laminated construction than boxes formed of a single thickness of heavy weight chip board such as commonly employed.

As this box is produced from light weight board out from a continuously moving web the production can be speeded up so that a continuous operation can be followed in converting the web into completely finished boxes properly printed.

Under some conditions it is desirable to form the box with an inner or lining portion formed of a web separate from that from which the remaining portions of the box are produced. A modified form of box of this type has been illustrated in Figures 10 to 19 inclusive. It comprises a blank 25 adapted to be cut from one web and another blank 26 adapted to be cut from the other web. Blank 25 forms the outer portions of the box while blank 25 forms the inner or lining portion and the end or core flaps.

Parallel lengths of kraft tape 21 are applied to the blank 25 so as to reinforce the sides of the finished box and formed in the blank and extending longitudinally within each tape are parallel creases 28 and 29. The creases 29 divide the main portion 35 of the blank 25 from the side portions 3| of the blank and these side portions are adapted to be folded along the creases 28 so as to produce sides of double thickness.

Transverse creases 32 divide the main and side portions 30 and 3| from end flaps 33 and 34. The end flaps 34 are of the same width as the main portion 3!! and the end flaps 33 are of the same width as the end portions 3!, these flaps 33 being separated from flaps 34 by parallel slots 35 extending from the creases 32 to the respective ends of the blank and alining with the creases 29. All of one surface of blank 25 is coated with glue as indicated by stippling at 35. The other side of the blank can be provided with a covering 37 of fin-' ishing paper or, if desired, this blank can be made out of patent coated board.

The inner or alining blank 26 is provided with transverse creases 33 which divide the blank into a main portion 39 one face of which is covered with a coating of adhesive 40, and end or stiffen- After the two blanks have been formed and provided with coatings of the glue or the like they are superposed as shown in Figures 12 and 13 with the blank 25 covering and affixed to that portion of the main or outer blank 25 bounded by the creases 29 and 32. The flaps 4| are left in upstanding positions as shown in Figures 12 and 13 after which the side portions 5! are both folded along their creases 23 to provide side portions of double thickness as shown in Figure 14. These sides are then brought to upstanding positions and their folded end flaps 33 are placed astride the end flaps 4| as shown in Figures 15 and 16 so as to become afiixed thereto. The end flaps 3d are then folded inwardly and downwardly over these portions 33 as illustrated in Figure 18 it being understood that following the folding operation all the parts are pressed tightly together so that g thicknesses and obviously when there is added to this the films of glue utilized in the laminated structure and, under some conditions, the thickness of finishing paper, it will be obvious that a box thus produced will be much stronger and will have greater rigidity than boxes formed in the usual way of chip board or patent coated board such as commonly used.

In Figures 20 to 28 inclusive there has been shown a box in which the ends are not formed with five thickness of material but of four thicknesses only. However in this structure the bottom of the box is reinforced transversely at the ends so as to give requisite strength. This form of box is also produced from a web of thin stock which can 4x either be patent coated board or chip board with a covering of finishing paper on one surface.

In forming this modified box the inner or lining portion 42 of the blank is divided by a longitudinal crease 43 from a side portion 54 which extends longitudinally of the blank and has a central longitudinal crease 45. This side portion in turn is divided by a longitudinal crease 46 from a main or outer portion M which, in turn, is divided by a longitudinal crease 48 from a side portion throughout the width of the side portion 44.

These end flaps 53 are in turn separated by slits 54 from end flaps 55 which extend throughout the width of the main portion 4'! of the blank. Slits 56 divide the flaps 55 from flaps 5? which extend throughout the width of the side portion 49.

Strips of kraft tape indicated at 58 are extended longitudinally of the side portions 44 and 49 and the creases 45 and 55 are pressed into this tape. Thus the side portions are reinforced along their folds at these creases when the box is in its completed form.

Printed matter indicated generally at 59 can be displayed on one side of the blank wherever desired so as to appear either on the outside or inside surfaces of the finished box. All portions of the other side of the blank except the inner or lining portion 42 are coated with a film of gum as indicated by stippling at 50 in Figure 20.

After the blank has been printed, shaped and supplied with glue so as to be brought to the condition shown in Figures 20 ,and 21 the end flaps 5| are folded downwardly onto the inner or lining portion 42 as shown in Fig. 22. They I will adhere to this portion 42 and thus form transverse reinforcements. Thereafter the side portion 44 is folded along its longitudinal crease 45 so as to bring the folded flaps 5| in contact with the gummed surface of the outer or main portion 41 thereof. The other side portion 49 is then folded upon its crease 50 so that the blank will thus be brought to the condition shown in Figure 23. Thereafter the folded end flaps 53 and 51 are extended toward eachother while they and the side portions of the blank are in upstanding positions as shown in Figure 24. The end flaps 55 are then folded inwardly and. down- Wardlyover the inturned flaps 53 and 51 from the positions shown in Figure 24 tothe positions shown in Figures 25, 27 and728. All of the parts when folded are subjected to pressure so that a strong laminated structure is thus produced and while each end wall is formed of but four thicknesses of board it will be noted that both ends are well reinforced by the added transverse thickness of material located in the bottom at 5|.

In order that the top edges of the ends of the boxes will not be excessively bulky, the material forming the blank can be slotted along the flaps 53 and 51 in line with the creases 45 and 50 as shown at 6]. However these slots 61 will be covered by the kraft tape.

It is to be understood that the creasing and cutting operations can be performed by the usual methods common in box construction and the films of glue can be applied in the usual way. Importance is attached to the fact that in every form of box herein described it is possible to use a very light and easily workedmaterial because of the employment of the laminated construction which gives strength and rigidity not possible with other makes of boxes formed of heavier board. Furthermore it is possible, where the present construction is followed, to shape rigid non-folding boxes out of a continuous web of material whereby more rapid production is possible than by other methods and a consequent saving in cost is effected due to speed of operation and lightness of material.

What is claimed is:

l. A one-piece, rigid paper box structure including a laminated bottom, folded sides projecting therefrom, and laminated end walls each including folded flaps extending toward each other from the sides, and an end flap on each end of one thickness of the bottom straddling the adjacent folded flaps, all of the lapping portions of the structure being glued together and a transversely extended stiffening flap at each end of the other thickness of the bottom.

2. A laminated rigid paper box structure formed from a continuous web of stock and including one piece of material folded to provide a bottom of more than one layer, sides integral therewith having longitudinal folds glued together, end flaps formed by the ends of the sides and extended toward each other; end flaps integral with one bottom layer and straddling and affixed to the end flaps of the sides and transversely extended stiffening flaps integral with having longitudinal folds glued together, folded end flaps formed by the ends of the folded sides and extended toward each other, end flaps into the bottom layer between the side walls, and

stiffening flaps at the ends of the inner layer and extending transversely of the ends of the box.

4.. A laminated rigid paper box structure including a bottom layer, sides integral therewith having longitudinal folds glued together, folded end flaps formed by the ends of the folded sides and extended toward each other, end flaps integral with the bottom layer and straddling and glued to the folded end flaps, an inner layer glued to the bottom layer between the side walls, and stiffening flaps-integral with the ends of the inner layer and fitted within and glued to the folded end flaps.

5. A laminated rigid paper box structure including a-bottom layer, sides integral therewith having longitudinal folds glued together, folded end flaps formed by the ends of the folded sides and extended toward each other, end flaps integral with the bottom layer and straddling and glued to the tegral with the outer layer and folded longitudinally, the folds being glued together, folded end flaps formed by the ends of the sidesand extended toward each other, end flaps on the inner layer extended into and glued to the folded end flaps, and end flaps on the outer layer straddling and glued to the folded flaps.

7. A laminated rigid paper box structure comprising a one-piece blank folded so that only one of its surfaces will be exposed on both the outside and the inside of the box and to provide inner and outer bottom layers glued together, a side integral with the outer layer, a side integral with the inner and outer layers, both sides being folded longitudinally, the folds being glued together, folded end flaps formed by the ends of the sides and extended toward each other, end

flaps on the inner layer extended into and glued to the folded end flaps, and end flaps on the outer layer straddling and glued to the folded flaps. 8. A paper blank for use in the formation of a laminated rigid box structure, including a single thickness of stock out and creased to provide inner and outer bottom portions substantially coextensive in area, flaps at the ends of the inner bottom portion, foldable flaps at the ends of the outer bottom portion of a length greater than the depth of the box structure to be formed, a side portion between and integral with the bottom portions, a side portion integral with the outer bottom portion, said side portions being foldable longitudinally and having foldable end flaps, there being display matter upon one surface of the blank for exposure on the outside and/or inside of the box structure to be formed and an adhesive coating on the other surface of the blank. 

